Journal Highlights

Secretary of State Colin Powell

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell put the world spotlight on U of L this past November when he spoke to an overflowing crowd of students, faculty, administrators, local leaders and national and international media as part of the McConnell Center for Political Leadership lecture series.

Powell's address in the Brown-Williamson Club at U of L-Papa John's Cardinal Stadium focused largely on Israel and Palestine, even as U.S. military forces were actively fighting in Afghanistan, underpinning U.S. policy that Israel's relationship with its Arab neighbors is the key to peace in the Middle East.

Powell, the 65th U.S. secretary of state and the fourth to visit U of L as part of the 10-year-old McConnell lectureship, was given an honorary doctoral degree in public service from the university.

"I am proud now to be a Louisville Cardinal," smiled the former general and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff before launching into a 40-minute speech that outlined an American foreign policy committed to active U.S. involvement and leadership in the Middle East.

U of L professor leads statewide EMS readiness

A surgery professor in the U of L School of Medicine will head up two federal grants to help improve emergency medical services in Kentucky.

Mary Fallat, who was appointed by Gov. Paul Patton to serve on the Kentucky Board for Emergency Medical Services (KBEMS), has obtained a $300,000 federal grant to improve training for EMS workers in the emergency care of ill and injured children.

Her subcommittee, which now meets monthly, is planning to improve the state's pediatric EMS services by preparing set customs for the pre-hospital care of children as well as implementing more training for EMS professionals.

"Before today, there has been sporadic ongoing pediatric training for EMS professionals," says Fallat, who is in the division of pediatric surgery at the U of L School of Medicine. "We hope that providing a standardized set of protocols backed by training and advocacy will improve this situation."

High-tech rehearsal technology now at U of L School of Music

A leading "virtual acoustics" system that can simulate 12 different performance environments is getting rave reviews from both faculty and students at the U of L School of Music.

Developed by Toronto-based Wenger Corp. in association with two technology firms, U of L's new V-Room Rehearsal system simulates the acoustics of different performance environments using computer technology. This past fall, U of L was the first university to have the technology installed by Wenger, according to company officials.

The V-Room Rehearsal system is located in a double studio room at the School of Music that is large enough for a chamber-sized ensemble of 20 to 25 musicians.

"It's one of our most heavily scheduled rooms," says Herbert Koerselman, dean of the music school.

"The room is used by many different ensembles, both student and faculty, including our faculty brass and woodwind quintets, string quartets and vocal groups.

He adds, "It's something we show everyone who visits our school."